“We don’t want to take strike action but feel we have no alternative.”

There have already been 12 walk-outs in the long-running dispute, but this is the first-time firefighters will have gone on strike for a full 24 hours.

It centres on ministers’ plans to raise firefighters’ retirement age from 55 to 60 and increase their pension contributions.

The FBU said it feared many firefighters could fail the fitness tests required to remain on active duty in their late 50s, and therefore have to leave the service.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “The government believes a solution can be reached, but not under the shadow of industrial action, which only serves to damage firefighters’ good standing with the public. By disrupting constructive discussions and an open consultation in this way the FBU has once again shown it is not serious about finding a resolution.

“The deal on the table is fair and gives firefighters one of the most generous pensions in the public sector.

“Nearly three-quarters will see no change in their pension age in 2015. Under the new scheme, a firefighter who earns £29,000 will still be able to retire after a full career aged 60 and get a £19,000-a-year pension, rising to £26,000 with the state pension. The equivalent private pension pot would be worth over half a million pounds and require firefighters to contribute twice as much.”

Mr Turner said that the men would only leave the picket lines before the end of the action at 9am tomorrow if there was a major incident.

“There is a national agreement on a recall to duty,” he said.

“There are strict criteria for this including there being a risk to life, but this does not mean house fires.

“It would involve a phone call between me and the Chief fire officer when it would be decided if the criteria would me met.”

He repeated calls for the DCLG to release research it has carried out on the proposals which the FBU say will back their case.

“It was done at taxpayer expense and there is no reason for it not to be released,” said Mr Turner.

Further action is planned on June 22 if the dispute remains unsettled.

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